Margaret Atwood, Andy Weir, Lee Child, More

And while there have been several such awards given to one or two authors at a time during the past year, on Thursday evening at London’s May Fair Hotel (January 25), a squadron of such heavyweight writers were recognized in three categories: nonfiction, fiction, and children’s books.

The Specsaver commendations are meant to be a parallel to the music industry’s recognitions of major sales, as in a “platinum-selling album.” The awards use print sales data from Nielsen BookScan, and ebook sales data from Nielsen PubTrack Digital, to designate and verify sales-based eligibility.

Authors including Tim Marshall, Louise Doughty, Ben Elton, Jessie Burton—as well as Hislop—have accepted awards, and the criteria are also in three categories of sales milestones: 250,000 copies draws a Silver award; 500,000 a Gold award; and 1 million copies earns a Platinum award. All sales action must have occurred in 2017 and the tracking agency working in partnership with the awards is Nielsen Book.

Among the biggest Specsavers Bestseller Awards winners:

Paula Hawkins was honored with triple Platinum status for The Girl on the Train and Silver for Into the Water

Cecelia Ahern was recognized with a Platinum award for her auspicious debut PS, I Love You

Overall, however, the class of 2017 Platinum winners is dominated by authors of children’s books, with the top recognition going to authors including

Jeff Kinney for his “Diary of a Wimpy Kid” books Rodrick Rules and Dog Days

David Walliams for Grandpa’s Great Escape

Roald Dahl’s Matilda and The Twits

In category breakdowns, fiction led the awards with 36 books qualifying for Silver, Gold, or Platinum recognition.

In a prepared statement released after the ceremony, Nielsen Book co-managing director Andre Breedt is quoted, saying, “2017 was another strong year for the industry, with sales keeping pace with the highs we saw in 2016. It was a year [in which] adult fiction continued its resurgence alongside the growing success of the domestic children’s book market and it’s great to see so many of those authors here tonight.”

And speaking for the British optical retail chain Specsavers, its co-founder, Dame Mary Perkins, is quoted, saying, “It is hugely inspirational to see so many accomplished authors together under one roof, and to be able to champion their achievements. Each and every one of this year’s winners is truly deserving of their accolade. Reading is something that Specsavers is very passionate about, as of course good eyesight plays an essential role in it.”

Below are complete lists of honorees in the three categories.

Novelist Peter James is the recipient of a 2017 Honorary Specsavers Bestseller Award for his sales of more than 5 million units. Image: Specsaves

Novelist Paula Hawkins is the big winner at the 2017 Specsavers Bestseller Awards on January 25, recognized for triple Platinum sales for ‘The Girl on the Train’ and Silver for ‘Into the Water.’ Image: Specsavers

2017 Specsavers Bestseller Awards in Fiction

PlatinumThe Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins (triple Platinum)PS, I Love You by Cecelia AhernKilling Floor by Lee Child

GoldLet You Go by Clare MackintoshThe Couple Next Door by Shari LapenaThe Martian by Andy WeirDead Famous by Ben EltonOrigin by Dan BrownThe Miniaturist by Jessie BurtonThe Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood

SilverNight School by Lee ChildInto the Water by Paula HawkinsThree Sisters, Three Queens by Philippa GregoryMy Not So Perfect Life by Sophie KinsellaThe Lie by C.L. TaylorThe Accident by C.L.TaylorI See You by Clare MackintoshDarker by E.L. JamesThe Muse by Jessie BurtonYou And Me, Always by Jill MansellThe One You Really Want by Jill MansellRumour Has It by Jill MansellDon’t Want To Miss A Thing by Jill MansellThe Trouble with Goats and Sheep by Joanna CannonSmall Great Things by Jodi PicoultThe Whistler by John GrishamPayback by Kimberley ChambersApple Tree Yard by Louise DoughtyThe Vanishing Act of Esme Lennox by Maggie O’FarrellInstructions for a Heatwave by Maggie O’FarrellAfter You’d Gone by Maggie O’FarrellThe Hand That First Held Me by Maggie O’FarrellConclave by Robert HarrisThe Keeper of Lost Things by Ruth HoganThe Essex Serpent by Sarah PerryCartes Postales from Greece by Victoria Hislop

Tom Fletcher, left, and Dougie Poynter of McFly are authors of the pooping dinosaur books, which won two Silver Specsavers Awards in the children’s books category for 2017. Their illustrator on ‘The Dinosaur That Pooped a Planet!’ is Garry Parsons. And the illustrator on Fletcher’s ‘The Christmasaurus’ is Shane Devries. Image: Specsavers

2017 Specsavers Bestseller Awards in Children’s Books

PlatinumGrandpa’s Great Escape by David Walliams
Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules by Jeff Kinney
Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days by Jeff KinneyMatilda by Roald Dahl & Quentin BlakeThe Twits by Roald Dahl & Quentin Blake

About the Author

Porter Anderson

Porter Anderson is Editor-in-Chief of Publishing Perspectives. Prior to that he was Associate Editor for The FutureBook, a channel at The Bookseller focused on digital publishing. Anderson has also worked with CNN International, CNN.com, CNN USA, the Village Voice, the Dallas Times Herald, and other media.